In Memoriam

Oscar W. Avant Jr., M.P.H. ’59, died on March 17 in Sumter, S.C. He was 75. Avant was an administrator at Barnwell County Hospital in South Carolina and chief of licensure and certification for North Carolina’s department of human resources. He was also the executive director of a company that owned and operated four nursing homes, president of a health care and retirement center and owner of many nursing homes.

Arthur W. Boddie Jr.,
M.D.
’67,
died
on
October
22,
2006,
in
Chicago
of
complications
related
to
frontal-temporal
lobe
dementia.
He
was
64.
Boddie
was
retired
as
vice
chair
of
the
surgical
oncology
department
at
the
University
of
Illinois
at
Chicago
(UIC).
He
was
recruited
to
UIC
from
the
University
of
Texas
Medical
School
as
an
associate
professor
of
surgery
in
1990
and
was
named
vice
chair
of...

Arthur W. Boddie Jr., M.D. ’67, died on October 22, 2006, in Chicago of complications related to frontal-temporal lobe dementia. He was 64. Boddie was retired as vice chair of the surgical oncology department at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He was recruited to UIC from the University of Texas Medical School as an associate professor of surgery in 1990 and was named vice chair of surgical oncology in 1997.

Richard Alan Cazen,
M.D.
’74,
a
gastroenterologist
and
HIV
specialist
in
San
Francisco,
died
of
a
brain
tumor
on
April
26
in
his
hometown
of
Pittsburgh,
Penn.
He
was
58.
Cazen
started
his
practice
in
1981
as
the
AIDS
epidemic
was
emerging
and
became
a
pioneer
and
activist
in
the
treatment
and
protocol
of
the
new
disease.
As
a
gastroenterologist,
he
maintained
one
of
the
few
subspecialty
practices...

Richard Alan Cazen, M.D. ’74, a gastroenterologist and HIV specialist in San Francisco, died of a brain tumor on April 26 in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Penn. He was 58. Cazen started his practice in 1981 as the AIDS epidemic was emerging and became a pioneer and activist in the treatment and protocol of the new disease. As a gastroenterologist, he maintained one of the few subspecialty practices in San Francisco, concentrating on not only the disease itself, but the gastrointestinal symptoms from AIDS and adverse effects from HIV-related drug interactions and toxicities.

Hunter Hall Comly,
M.D.
’43,
died
on
February
16
in
Denver
of
pancreatic
cancer.
He
was
87.
Comly,
a
psychiatrist
and
educator,
spent
his
career
treating
children
in
Iowa,
Michigan
and
California.
As
a
researcher,
he
determined
the
cause
of
“blue
baby
syndrome,”
which
he
linked
to
nitrate
contamination
in
water
drawn
from
shallow
wells.
JAMA:
The
Journal
of
the
American
Medical
Association
cited...

Hunter Hall Comly, M.D. ’43, died on February 16 in Denver of pancreatic cancer. He was 87. Comly, a psychiatrist and educator, spent his career treating children in Iowa, Michigan and California. As a researcher, he determined the cause of “blue baby syndrome,” which he linked to nitrate contamination in water drawn from shallow wells. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association cited this research in 1983 as one of the journal’s 50 landmark articles. During his career he taught child psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Iowa, was director of the Childrens’ Center in Wayne County, Mich., and was in private practice in Iowa.

Thomas P. Cotter, M.D. ’45, died on March 19 in Riverside, Calif., after a long illness. He was 85. Cotter served in the Army Air Corps in Riverside. He cofounded the Riverside Radiology Medical Group and was on the medical staff of Riverside Community Hospital. He practiced radiology until his retirement in 1991.

Philip G. Deane,
M.D.
’52,
died
on
March
15
in
Shaw
Island,
Wash.
He
was
83.
Deane
served
in
the
10th
Mountain
Division
of
the
U.S.
Army
in
World
War
II.
After
medical
school
he
served
his
residency
at
Harborview
Hospital
in
Seattle,
then
opened
a
pediatric
practice
on
Mercer
Island.
In
1985
Deane
and
his
wife,
Lola,
a
nurse,
took
early
retirement
to
work
in
medical
service
and
teaching
in...

Philip G. Deane, M.D. ’52, died on March 15 in Shaw Island, Wash. He was 83. Deane served in the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army in World War II. After medical school he served his residency at Harborview Hospital in Seattle, then opened a pediatric practice on Mercer Island. In 1985 Deane and his wife, Lola, a nurse, took early retirement to work in medical service and teaching in American Samoa, Zimbabwe and Pakistan. Upon their return to the United States they worked with the Tulalip Tribes in the Puget Sound area.

Claude W. Delia,
M.D.
’50,
died
on
April
12
in
Myrtle
Beach,
S.C.
He
was
82.
Delia
served
as
a
medical
officer
in
the
U.S.
Army
and
in
1952
went
to
the
Walter
Reed
General
Hospital
for
a
residency
in
pathology.
He
then
spent
two
years
as
a
military
pathologist
in
Japan,
Korea,
Taiwan
and
the
Philippines.
In
1958
he
became
professional
assistant
to
the
scientific
director
of
the
American
Registry...

Claude W. Delia, M.D. ’50, died on April 12 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He was 82. Delia served as a medical officer in the U.S. Army and in 1952 went to the Walter Reed General Hospital for a residency in pathology. He then spent two years as a military pathologist in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines. In 1958 he became professional assistant to the scientific director of the American Registry of Pathology in Washington, D.C. In 1960 he joined the staff of Conway Hospital in South Carolina, becoming director of the laboratory. He resigned in 1995 to devote his time to surgical pathology.

Stephen J. Fricker,
Ph.D.,
M.D.
’62,
died
on
May
21
in
Massachusetts.
He
was
80.
Born
in
England,
Fricker
came
to
the
United
States
to
study
at
the
Massachusetts
Institute
of
Technology
(MIT),
where
he
received
a
doctorate
in
electrical
engineering
in
1953.
He
worked
at
the
Lincoln
Laboratory,
a
research
and
development
center
managed
by
MIT,
before
attending
medical
school.
Fricker
did
his...

Stephen J. Fricker, Ph.D., M.D. ’62, died on May 21 in Massachusetts. He was 80. Born in England, Fricker came to the United States to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he received a doctorate in electrical engineering in 1953. He worked at the Lincoln Laboratory, a research and development center managed by MIT, before attending medical school. Fricker did his residency in ophthalmology at Massachusetts Ear and Eye Infirmary and continued to work there until February of this year.

Dorothy Y. Hall, M.P.H. ’49, died on April 15 in Montpelier, Vt. She was 89. Hall was a public health educator in the areas of tuberculosis and diabetes and was active in Democratic political campaigns.

Howard B. Hamilton,
M.D.
’44,
died
on
April
27
of
a
heart
infection
at
his
home
in
Falls
Church,
Va.
He
was
88.
After
his
graduation,
Hamilton
served
in
the
U.S.
Navy,
where
he
was
assigned
to
the
Atomic
Bomb
Casualty
Commission
in
Hiroshima.
He
went
on
to
an
internship
at
Massachusetts
General
Hospital
and
research
at
the
Long
Island
School
of
Medicine
and
the
New
York
College
of
Surgeons.
While...

Howard B. Hamilton, M.D. ’44, died on April 27 of a heart infection at his home in Falls Church, Va. He was 88. After his graduation, Hamilton served in the U.S. Navy, where he was assigned to the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in Hiroshima. He went on to an internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and research at the Long Island School of Medicine and the New York College of Surgeons. While in Japan he became a student of the ancient theatrical art of Noh, which features dramatic masks and carefully defined movements.

Thomas S. Harvey,
M.D.
’41,
of
Titusville,
N.J.,
died
on
April
5
in
Princeton
of
complications
from
a
stroke.
He
was
94.
During
World
War
II
Harvey
did
medical
research
with
the
U.S.
Army’s
Chemical
Research
Center
in
Edgewood,
Md.
After
the
war
he
became
an
instructor
in
pathology
and
neuroanatomy
at
the
Hospital
of
the
University
of
Pennsylvania
and
in
1950
became
assistant
director
of
the...

Thomas S. Harvey, M.D. ’41, of Titusville, N.J., died on April 5 in Princeton of complications from a stroke. He was 94. During World War II Harvey did medical research with the U.S. Army’s Chemical Research Center in Edgewood, Md. After the war he became an instructor in pathology and neuroanatomy at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and in 1950 became assistant director of the hospital’s Laboratory of Clinical Pathology. In 1952 he became director of the pathology laboratory at Princeton Hospital, where in 1955 he performed the autopsy on Albert Einstein. During the 1960s and early 1970s he was the pathologist for New Jersey State psychiatric hospitals and at the Veterans Hospital in Lyons. In the 1970s he moved to Kansas, where he was director of a commercial medical laboratory. He eventually entered general medical practice in Kansas and Missouri.

John V. Haxo, M.D. ’51, died on March 19 in Warren, Conn. He was 82. In 1956 Haxo opened a private practice as a general surgeon in New Milford, Conn. He also served as chief of surgery at New Milford Hospital and was active on hospital boards until he retired in 1987.

Charles L. Hopper, M.D. ’56, died on April 25 in Portsmouth, R.I. He was 76. Hopper was a medical officer in the U.S. Navy, attending divers at the Underwater Ordnance Station in Newport, R.I. After a surgical residency at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, Hopper returned to Rhode Island and began a practice as a general and thoracic surgeon. From 1967 until 1983 he was chief of surgery at Newport Hospital.

Thomas R. Johnson, M.D. ’68, HS ’75, died on February 19 at his home in Billings, Mont. He was 64. Johnson, an orthopaedist, became a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 1981 and served on the group’s publications and patient education committees.

Beatrice Hruska Kaasch,
R.N.,
M.P.H.
’48,
died
on
February
25
in
Omaha,
Neb.
She
was
94.
Born
in
Lewistown,
Mont.,
Kaasch
attended
a
one-room
country
school
before
going
to
boarding
school.
She
worked
as
a
private
duty
and
staff
nurse
at
St.
Joseph’s
Hospital
in
Lewistown,
taught
at
nursing
schools
in
Montana
and
was
a
health
educator
for
the
Montana
Tuberculosis
Association
and
the
Montana
State...

Beatrice Hruska Kaasch, R.N., M.P.H. ’48, died on February 25 in Omaha, Neb. She was 94. Born in Lewistown, Mont., Kaasch attended a one-room country school before going to boarding school. She worked as a private duty and staff nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lewistown, taught at nursing schools in Montana and was a health educator for the Montana Tuberculosis Association and the Montana State Health Department. A longtime member of the Montana Nurses Association, she served as its president from 1944 to 1947.

James A. Kleeman, M.D. ’46, HS ’53, died on March 30 in Woodbridge, Conn. He was 85. Born in Springfield, Ohio, Kleeman attended the Taft School in Waterbury, Yale College and the School of Medicine. After serving in the U.S. Army in Hawaii, he returned to Connecticut to complete his residency in psychiatry and psychoanalysis. He wrote many papers on early child development and was a master fly fisherman.

Melvin Lewis,
M.D.,
professor
emeritus
and
senior
research
scientist
in
the
Child
Study
Center,
died
on
April
28
in
New
Haven.
He
was
79.
Born
and
educated
in
London,
Lewis
was
nationally
and
internationally
known
as
a
scholar
and
editor.
During
his
12-year
term
as
editor
of
the
Journal
of
the
American
Academy
of
Child
and
Adolescent
Psychiatry,
from
1975
to
1987,
he
transformed
it
into
the...

Melvin Lewis, M.D., professor emeritus and senior research scientist in the Child Study Center, died on April 28 in New Haven. He was 79. Born and educated in London, Lewis was nationally and internationally known as a scholar and editor. During his 12-year term as editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, from 1975 to 1987, he transformed it into the flagship American journal at a time of rapid discoveries and developments in the field. Lewis was also the founding consulting editor of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, which he led for 14 years. His scholarly achievements included the first three editions of the now-classic Comprehensive Textbook of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as well as numerous scientific articles. Originally trained as a pediatrician, Lewis directed the Consultation-Liaison Service in pediatrics at Yale for many years.

Roslyn L. MacNish, M.P.H. ’41, died on February 21 in Hartford, Conn. She was 88. MacNish had worked as a research statistician for the State Department of Health in Connecticut. She was a member of the Charter Oak Photography Society, the Massachusetts Camera Naturalist and vice president of the New England Camera Club Council.

John J. McGillicuddy, M.D. ’38, died on January 14 in Massachusetts. A veteran of World War II, McGillicuddy was an orthopaedic surgeon at Sancta Maria Hospital in Cambridge, Mass., where he was also head of orthopaedic surgery. He was an orthopaedic surgeon for Boston College and for the Boston Red Sox.

Stewart J. Petrie,
M.D.,
HS
’55,
died
of
cancer
at
the
Connecticut
Hospice
in
Branford
on
March
17.
He
was
83.
Petrie
served
in
the
Army
Air
Corps
during
World
War
II.
He
received
his
medical
degree
from
Temple
Medical
School.
In
1955
he
entered
private
ob/gyn
practice
in
the
Naugatuck
Valley.
For
many
years
he
was
chief
of
staff
and
chief
of
ob/gyn
at
Griffin
Hospital
in
Derby,
Conn.
He
was
a...

Stewart J. Petrie, M.D., HS ’55, died of cancer at the Connecticut Hospice in Branford on March 17. He was 83. Petrie served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He received his medical degree from Temple Medical School. In 1955 he entered private ob/gyn practice in the Naugatuck Valley. For many years he was chief of staff and chief of ob/gyn at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn. He was a fellow of the American College of Gynecology and the American College of Surgeons. He published three books about medicine during the Civil War.

Ernest L. Sarason,
M.D.
’39,
died
on
November
28,
2006,
in
Syracuse,
N.Y.
He
was
92.
After
a
residency
at
Mount
Sinai
Hospital
in
New
York
and
three
years
in
the
U.S.
Army,
Sarason
returned
to
his
home
town
of
Syracuse
in
1947.
He
was
known
as
an
outstanding
surgeon
and
as
a
fundraiser
and
philanthropist
whose
efforts
supported
the
Syracuse
Symphony,
the
Syracuse
Jewish
Federation,
the
United
Way...

Ernest L. Sarason, M.D. ’39, died on November 28, 2006, in Syracuse, N.Y. He was 92. After a residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and three years in the U.S. Army, Sarason returned to his home town of Syracuse in 1947. He was known as an outstanding surgeon and as a fundraiser and philanthropist whose efforts supported the Syracuse Symphony, the Syracuse Jewish Federation, the United Way and local hospitals.

William J. Wedemeyer, M.D. ’46, died of cancer on November 25, 2006, in Walnut Creek, Calif. He was 84.Wedemeyer served as chief pathologist for the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in Japan, where he met his wife, Midori. In 1960 he accepted a position at Herrick Memorial Hospital in Berkeley, where he stayed for 25 years. In 1985 he left to work at the VA hospital in Martinez, Calif. He retired in 1994.

Paul W. Weld,
M.D.
’48,
died
on
January
16
in
Mendon,
N.Y.
He
was
82.Weld
was
a
diplomate
of
the
American
Board
of
Internal
Medicine.
He
was
a
physician
at
Rochester
General
Hospital
for
33
years
and
served
as
director
of
medical
education,
chief
of
physical
medicine
and
director
of
the
division
of
diagnostic
ultrasound.
He
retired
in
1991.
He
was
an
avid
birdwatcher
and
passionate
climber
in
the...

Paul W. Weld, M.D. ’48, died on January 16 in Mendon, N.Y. He was 82.Weld was a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He was a physician at Rochester General Hospital for 33 years and served as director of medical education, chief of physical medicine and director of the division of diagnostic ultrasound. He retired in 1991. He was an avid birdwatcher and passionate climber in the Adirondack Mountains.

Asa J. Wilbourn,
M.D.,
HS
’71,
died
on
February
6
in
Cairo,
Ill.
He
was
68.Wilbourn
had
been
a
staff
neurologist
at
the
Cleveland
Clinic
Foundation
since
1973
and
for
more
than
33
years
directed
the
electromyography
laboratory.
He
received
his
medical
degree
from
the
Northwestern
University
School
of
Medicine
in
1964,
and
after
an
internship
in
Dallas
joined
the
U.S.
Air
Force.
As
a
flight...

Asa J. Wilbourn, M.D., HS ’71, died on February 6 in Cairo, Ill. He was 68.Wilbourn had been a staff neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation since 1973 and for more than 33 years directed the electromyography laboratory. He received his medical degree from the Northwestern University School of Medicine in 1964, and after an internship in Dallas joined the U.S. Air Force. As a flight surgeon during the Vietnam War he received two Distinguished Flying Cross awards and the Airman’s Medal. At the Cleveland Clinic he became an internationally recognized expert in electromyography and neuromuscular diseases.